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Micro and Nanoplastics in Biological Systems: A One Health Review of Environmental Toxicity, Microbial Dysbiosis, and Human Health Risks
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Tiny plastic particles from everyday sources—packaging, synthetic clothes, tires, and more—are showing up not just in our environment but inside our bodies, including in blood, lungs, and even breast milk. This review pulls together existing research showing these particles can disrupt gut bacteria, trigger inflammation, and cause damage in animal studies, though scientists still can't say for certain whether they cause chronic diseases in humans. The bottom line: this is a fast-growing health concern worth watching, but we need better testing methods and long-term studies before drawing firm conclusions about the risks to your health.
Micro- and nanoplastics have emerged as biologically active contaminants that connect environmental pollution with ecosystem dysfunction, microbial imbalance, animal toxicity, and human health uncertainty. This One Health review critically synthesizes current evidence on the sources, physicochemical characteristics, environmental fate, biological toxicity, microbial interactions, and medical relevance of micro- and nanoplastics in biological systems. These particles originate from primary manufactured materials and secondary fragmentation of plastic waste, synthetic textiles, agricultural plastics, tyre wear, packaging, wastewater, and atmospheric deposition. Their toxicity is strongly influenced by particle size, shape, polymer type, surface chemistry, aging, biofilm formation, and contaminant adsorption. In plants and ecosystems, micro- and nanoplastics can impair seed germination, root architecture, photosynthesis, nutrient cycling, soil microbial activity, crop productivity, and ecological stability. Animal studies further demonstrate oxidative stress, inflammation, neurotoxicity, reproductive injury, developmental disruption, gut damage, and metabolic disturbance, although many experiments still rely on high doses and pristine laboratory particles. Microplastics also create plastisphere biofilms that alter soil, aquatic, and gut microbiomes and may facilitate pathogen survival and antimicrobial resistance gene dissemination. Human exposure occurs through food, drinking water, air, dust, and consumer products, with increasing detection in blood, lung, placenta, breast milk, vascular tissues, and other biological samples. However, causal links with chronic disease remain uncertain due to limitations in detection, dose standardization, contamination control, and long-term epidemiological evidence. Overall, micro- and nanoplastics represent an emerging cross-sectoral biological threat requiring standardized monitoring, realistic toxicology, biosensor development, biotechnology-based remediation, safer material design, and integrated One Health risk assessment.
More Papers Like This
Microplastics and Nanoplastics in the Human Diet: Sources of Exposure, Bioavailability, Toxicokinetics, and Systemic Health Effects
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Tiny plastic particles from food, water, and packaging can enter your body, and the smallest ones may slip past your gut lining into your bloodstream and organs. This review of existing lab and animal studies found these particles are linked to cell damage, inflammation, and disruptions in hormones and organ function, but scientists still don't have solid proof that this causes actual diseases in humans. Bottom line: the concern is real and worth taking seriously, but we need much better human studies before drawing firm conclusions about health risks.
Microplastic and Nanoplastic Exposures, Gut Microbiome Disruption, and Nutritional Health: A One Health Systematic Review of Human and Translational Evidence-Systematic Review
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This review pulls together current research on how tiny plastic particles from food, water, and packaging may disrupt our gut bacteria, potentially triggering inflammation and other health issues. The catch: most evidence so far comes from animal or lab studies, so while cutting plastic exposure seems wise, science can't yet recommend specific diets or treatments to counteract the effects. More human studies are needed before we know exactly what to do about it.
Microplastics and nanoplastics as possible carriers and/or indirect modulators of microbial metagenomes: Any effect on human health?
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This review looks at how tiny plastic particles in our environment can carry bacteria, including harmful ones, and possibly disrupt the healthy microbes in our gut and lungs. Early animal studies hint this could contribute to inflammation and disease, but scientists stress there's no solid proof yet that this happens in humans, more research is needed.
Micro- and Nanoplastics as Environmental Stressors: Mechanistic Links Among Gut Dysbiosis, Inflammation, and Systemic Health Effects
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This review pulls together existing research on how the tiny plastic particles we're constantly exposed to (in food, water, and air) might harm our health, not just by directly damaging cells, but by disrupting our gut bacteria and triggering chronic inflammation throughout the body. Scientists think this chain reaction could play a role in heart, liver, kidney, lung, and even brain diseases, though the evidence in humans is still early and more research is needed to confirm how serious the risk really is. The takeaway: microplastics may affect health through your gut, not just wherever they physically end up in the body.
Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Human Health: From Environmental Contaminants to Internal Pollutants—A Comprehensive Review of Exposure, Bioaccumulation, Toxicity Mechanisms, and Emerging Detection Technologies
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This review pulls together research showing that tiny plastic particles from our food, water, and air aren't just polluting the environment—they're building up inside our bodies, showing up in blood, lungs, brain tissue, and even breast milk. Early studies hint at possible links to heart problems and brain inflammation, but scientists stress this connection isn't proven yet and more long-term research is needed. The bigger takeaway: better detection tools are helping us find these particles in the body, which is the first step toward understanding whether—and how much—they actually harm our health.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.